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Column 143
ILO unemployed by age, gender and duration of unemployment
Great Britain |Autumn 1994
|Thousands
Age |All ILO unemployed|Less than 6 months|6 months to 1 year|1-2 years |More than 2 years
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
All persons
35-39 |235 |85 |42 |35 |74
40-49 |408 |140 |62 |78 |128
50-59 |329 |90 |48 |63 |128
60-65 |88 |17 |<1>- |22 |40
Males
35-39 |156 |43 |29 |26 |58
40-49 |255 |74 |35 |50 |95
50-59 |230 |58 |34 |41 |96
60-65 |74 |13 |<1>- |19 |34
Females
35-39 |79 |42 |13 |8 |15
40-49 |153 |66 |27 |27 |33
50-59 |100 |32 |14 |22 |32
60-65 |13 |<1>- |<1>- |<1>- |<1>-
Notes:
<1> Estimates below 10,000.
Source:
labour force survey-not seasonally adjusted.
Civil Servants
Mr. Milburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the individual value of each (a) compulsory early retirement and (b) flexible early retirement package received by civil servants leaving his Department on the grounds of limited efficiency in each of the last five years. [22088]
Miss Widdecombe: The Department has no record of any such payments having been made.
South Thames Training and Enterprise Council
Ms Harman: To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if the Central London training and enterprise council will pay the debts of South Thames TEC. [22220]
Mr. Paice: The debts incurred by South Thames training and enterprise council are a matter for the receiver. It is my understanding that there is no obligation whatsoever upon CENTEC to pay the debts.
Stapro Insecticide
Mr. Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Employment, pursuant to his answer of 18 April, Official Report , column 57 , if he will set out the manufacturer's instructions for the application of Stapro insecticide. [21170]
Miss Widdecombe [holding answer 1 May 1995]: Responsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to the Employment Service agency under its chief executive. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from M. E. G. Fogden to Mr. Andrew Mackinlay, dated 2 May 1995:
The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question regarding the manufacturer's instructions for the application of Stapro Insecticide.
The contractor employed to undertake the spraying at Grays Unemployment Benefit Office on 8 October 1991 has now advised us orally that the chemical used was not a Stapro Insecticide, as he originally told us. He has further advised that any enquiries relation to this operation should be directed to his solicitor, Mr. Michael Wright of Thompson, Smith and Poxon, 4/5 North Hill, Colchester, Essex, CO1 1EB.
You will understand that, given these circumstances, the information relating to Stapro would be inappropriate.
Asbestos
Mr. Milburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the number of convictions in each region under the Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations 1987 and the Asbestos (Licensing Regulations) 1983 in each year since their inception, indicating the penalty in each case. [21286]
Mr. Oppenheim [holding answer 1 May 1995]: I have arranged for the information on the number of convictions in each region under the Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations 1987 and the Asbestos (Licensing) Regulations 1983 and the penalties for each conviction to be placed in the Library. The information relates to prosecutions by the Health and Safety Executive. It does not include prosecutions by local authority inspectors who have powers under the Health and Safety at Work, etc. Act 1974 to enforce the regulations. Statistics on the number of convictions under the Asbestos (Licensing) Regulations 1983 are available only from 1986 onwards.
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Cleveland Rural Development Area
Dr. Strang: To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is his estimate of (a) the number of unemployed and (b) the rate of unemployment in the Cleveland rural development area in each of the last 10 years and at the latest available date. [21433]
Mr. Oppenheim [holding answer 1 May 1995]: Information is available only on the numbers of claimant unemployed people in rural development areas and this can be obtained from the NOMIS database in the Library.
Manufacturing Employees
Mr. McCartney: To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what are the number and percentage of employees who are employed in manufacturing, in each region of the United Kingdom in (a) 1979 and (b) the most recent year for which figures are available. [21796]
Mr. Oppenheim [holding answer 1 May 1995]: The information requested is shown in the following table:
Employees in employment in manufacturing industry and as a
percentage of all employees in employment
(Thousands) December 1979 December 1994
|Level |Percentage|Level |Percentage
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
South East (excluding Greater London) |1,870<1> |24.8 |666 |17.5
Greater London |n/a |n/a |332 |10.6
East Anglia |210 |29.6 |161 |20.0
South West |440 |27.7 |308 |18.1
West Midlands |977 |43.3 |572 |28.3
East Midlands |605 |38.7 |454 |29.4
Yorkshire and Humberside |699 |34.8 |430 |23.4
North West |955 |35.7 |517 |22.4
North |404 |32.5 |250 |22.9
Wales |314 |30.4 |226 |23.3
Scotland |596 |28.5 |354 |18.0
Northern Ireland |143 |26.6 |103 |18.3
<1> Employment figures available only for the whole of the south-east region as Greater
London was not separately identifiable.
n/a = Not available.
Parliamentary Questions
Mr. Jacques Arnold: To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the cost of answering the questions to his Department tabled by the hon. Member for Makerfield (Mr. McCartney) since the beginning of the current Session. [18572]
Mr. Oppenheim [holding answer 5 April 1995]: According to our records, the hon. Member for Makerfield has tabled 180 parliamentary questions to this Department since the beginning of the current parliamentary Session until 4 April 1995. We estimate the total cost of preparing these answers was £17,460.
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
Visas
Mr. Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the reasons for the refusal of temporary visas to Mrs. Rasoul Bibi, Ref. V94/20662, and Miss Riffat Sultana, Ref. V94/20668. [21862]
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Mr. Baldry: The reasons for refusal were given in the migration and visa correspondence unit's letters of 28 July 1994 and 18 October 1994 to my hon. Friend.
Mr. Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received concerning the request for temporary visas by Mrs. Rasoul Bibi, Ref. V94/20662, and Miss Riffat Sultana, Ref. V94/20668; and if he will make a statement. [21863]
Mr. Baldry: Representations have been received from a number of people, including my hon. Friend.
Nuclear Weapons
Mr. Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will place in the Library a copy of the United Kingdom presentation to main committee II of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty conference in New York. [22022]
Mr. Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many members of the European Union have indicated at the non-proliferation treaty review and extension conference in New York that they seek both an indefinite and unconditional extension to the treaty. [22018]
Mr. Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what response has been made by the United Kingdom delegation to the nuclear non-proliferation treaty conference in New York, to the proposal advanced by Germany that fissionable material from dismantled weaponry should not be used to build new warheads. [22019]
Mr. David Davis: The UK maintains only a minimum deterrent and has no surplus fissile material for explosive purposes. Recycling fissile materials allows us to keep our stockpile of fissile material at the minimum level necessary to meet our operational requirements.
Mr. Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has received on decisions taken at the meeting of the non-aligned movement member states held in Bandung, Indonesia, on 25 to 27 April in regard to the non-proliferation treaty. [22058]
Mr. David Davis: At the end of their meeting in Bandung, the Ministers of the non-aligned states issued a statement. They expressed a number of concerns about the non-proliferation treaty, but accepted that it had played a part in promoting international peace and security. The statement made clear that the NPT will be extended in accordance with article X.2.
Mr. Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is Her Majesty's Government's policy on the adoption by states parties to the non-proliferation treaty, during the treaty's review and extension conference, of a programme of action for achieving complete nuclear disarmament. [21352]
Mr. David Davis [holding answer 1 May 1995]: Nuclear disarmament is already under way, in particular through agreements between the United States and Russia. It will not be advanced by attempting to impose artificial deadlines or linkages on the negotiating process.
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Caroline Beale
Mr. Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the latest position in the case of Caroline Beale, detained in New York; and what continuing action representatives of his Department are taking in her case. [21836]
Mr. Baldry: A further hearing of Miss Beale's case is set for 15 May. Our consular staff visit her regularly and are in frequent contact with her lawyer, the prison authorities and her family.
Hong Kong
Mr. Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 24 April, Official Report , column 375 , concerning civil servants in Hong Kong, if the figures given include judges and police officers. [21912]
Mr. Goodlad: The figures of £40 million includes compensation payments for judges and police officers who are members of Her Majesty's overseas civil service in Hong Kong.
Council of Ministers
Mr. Butler: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on forthcoming business in the Council of the European Union.
Mr. David Davis: The following meetings are planned:
May 17: Health
May 22: ECOFIN
May 29: FAC
Agriculture
May 30: FAC
Agriculture
The following subjects are likely to be discussed:
May 17: Health
No formal agenda is available.
The following subjects may be discussed.
--Europe Against Cancer Programme
--Health Promotion Programme
--Europe Against Aids Programme
--Drugs Programme
May 22: ECOFIN
Provisional agenda:
--Regulations in the statistical field (consumer price index, revision of systems of national and regional accounts, Community action in the statistical field)
--Cross-border payments directive
--Trans-European Networks financing
The meeting will be followed by a Joint Council with CEE Finance Ministers.
May 29, 30: FAC
Agenda not yet available
May 29, 30: Agriculture
--Agrimonetary (possible)
--Extraordinary set-aside penalties
--Price fixing
--Set-aside bio-mass (possible)
--Banana quotas for new member states
--Reform of the fruit and vegetable regime (possible)
--Animal welfare (possible)
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Diplomats (Offences)
Mr. Elletson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish figures recording the number of unpaid parking fines incurred by diplomatic missions in London during 1994.
Mr. Baldry: During 1994, the London diplomatic missions incurred a total of 3,613 unpaid parking fines, which is almost double the 1993 figure of 1,941. This increase, the first since 1986, occurred mainly in the second half of the year when parking in London was decriminalised and responsibility--with the exception of main thoroughfares--was transferred from the Metropolitan police to the 33 London boroughs. This change also coincided with a campaign to reduce the amount of illegal parking in London, which resulted in an increase in the numbers of parking tickets issued to the public, including the diplomatic corps. The table shows only missions which have 11 or more fines outstanding.
Unpaid Parking Fines
Diplomatic mission |1994 |1993
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
United Arab Emirates |470 |51
Angola |404 |30
Qatar |353 |28
Saudi Arabia |125 |60
Nigeria |118 |91
India |79 |71
Ghana |76 |35
Bulgaria |66 |34
Oman |63 |45
Pakistan |61 |54
France |58 |25
Sudan |56 |39
Gabon |55 |23
Jordan |52 |50
Egypt |50 |35
Bangladesh |49 |59
Hungary |47 |50
Bahrain |46 |29
Kuwait |45 |21
Cote D'Ivoire |40 |21
Indonesia |37 |9
Malaysia |37 |15
Brunei |35 |22
Poland |35 |27
Morocco |34 |31
Israel |33 |27
Greece |32 |46
Thailand |32 |32
Spain |31 |48
Cuba |31 |20
Russia |31 |20
Romania |30 |25
Cyprus |29 |21
Tanzania |28 |40
Turkey |27 |13
South Africa |24 |2
Algeria |24 |17
Uganda |24 |25
Malawi |24 |18
Italy |23 |21
United States |22 |3
Germany |22 |51
Zimbabwe |21 |15
Zambia |20 |45
Tunisia |20 |28
Cameroon |20 |35
Philippines |19 |17
Portugal |19 |12
Afghanistan |19 |11
Zaire |18 |8
Sierra Leone |17 |8
Lesotho |14 |11
Japan |14 |5
China |13 |14
Syria |13 |9
Croatia |13 |0
Barbados |13 |19
Kenya |13 |7
Fiji |12 |5
Iran |12 |7
Iceland |12 |3
Botswana |12 |6
Uruguay |12 |23
Ethiopia |11 |2
Peru |11 |11
Czech Rep |11 |6
International organisations
European Bank for Reconstruction and Development |19 |11
International Maritime Organisation |18 |0
International Cocoa Organisation |15 |12
Commonwealth Secretariat |11 |17
Mr. Sykes: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many serious offences were allegedly committed in 1994 by persons entitled to diplomatic immunity; and how many foreign diplomats or members of their families were withdrawn from their posts in Britain in the past year as a result of alleged offences.
Mr. Baldry: Twenty-five alleged serious offences by persons entitled to diplomatic immunity were drawn to the attention of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in 1994. "Serious offences" are defined in accordance with the report to the Foreign Affairs Committee, "The Abuse of Diplomatic Immunities and Privileges (1985)", as offences which fall into the category which in certain circumstances attract a maximum penalty of six months' imprisonment or more: the majority involved drinking and driving or shoplifting. Six diplomats or members of their families were withdrawn from post in Britain as a result of alleged offences, compared with one the previous year.
Civil Servants
Mr. Milburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the individual value of each (a) compulsory early retirement and (b) flexible early retirement package received by civil servants leaving his Department on grounds of limited efficiency in each of the last five years. [22086]
Mr. Goodlad: Compensation payments for early retirement on grounds of limited efficiency are age, salary and service related. In the Overseas Development Association no early retirements on grounds of limited efficiency have been made during the last five years. The relevant information for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Brazil (Killing of Indians)
Dr. Marek: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will raise with President
Column 151
Carposa of Brazil when he visits the United Kingdom the killing of Ticuna Indians on 28 March 1990 in Boca de Capacete and urge that those responsible be brought to trial. [22185]Mr. David Davis: The Brazilian authorities are well aware of concern in Britain that the rights and interests of the indigenous peoples of Brazil should be observed. Fourteen Ticuna Indians were killed on 28 March 1988 in the town of Benjamin Constant. The trial has been transferred from the state to the federal courts. It is expected to take place within a year.
Drugs
Mr. Madden: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action Her Majesty's Government are taking (a) directly, (b) through the EU and (c) through other organisations to assist the Government of Pakistan in combating drug trafficking; what assistance is being given to the supply of equipment to combat drug trafficking with particular reference to helicopters; and if he will make a statement. [22306]
Mr. Baldry: We have given considerable narcotics-related assistance to Pakistan, both bilaterally and through multilateral channels. Last financial year, bilateral assistance included the provision of law enforcement training by Her Majesty Customs and Excise. Multilaterally we have pledged over £8 million since 1985 to projects administered by the United Nations drug control programme to strengthen law enforcement control of the Pakistan/Iran/Afghanistan border area and to reduce the supply of opium through rural development.
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Mr. Madden: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what studies his Department has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated in respect of financial inducements to people in Afghanistan to persuade them to cease growing poppies used in the production of drugs. [22304]
Mr. Baldry: Afghanistan is now believed by the United Nations drug control programme and others to be the largest producer of illicit opium in the world. Much of the production is trafficked in the form of heroin to western Europe, including the UK.
In present circumstances, action by UNDCP is likely to be more effective in combating illicit drug production in Afghanistan than that by individual countries. The Government have therefore recently contributed £100,000 to preparation by UNCP of a strategy to reduce illicit opium poppy cultivation in Afghanistan, and will consider further financial support in the light of the result.
TRANSPORT
Civil Servants
Mr. Milburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the individual value of each (a) compulsory early retirement and (b) flexible early retirement package received by civil servants leaving his Department on grounds of limited efficiency in each of the last five years. [22076]
Mr. Norris: Compensation payments for early retirement on ground of limited efficiency are age, salary and service related. Details of limited efficiency early retirements for the last five financial years are as follows:
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|Annual compensation
|rate pa |lump sum |compensation payment|Total in £
Year 1990-91
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Compulsory |None |None |None |-
Flexible |9674 |29022 |n/a |38,696
|3564 |1085 |n/a |4,649
|3332 |9093 |n/a |12,425
Year 1991-92
Compulsory |None |None |None |-
Flexible |6088 |16225 |n/a |22,313
|FSSU scheme member |- |6034 |6,034
|1628 |4261 |n/a |5,889
Year 1992-93
Compulsory |8206 |21551 |8154 |29,757
Flexible |3591 |10382 |n/a |13,973
|4094 |10656 |n/a |14,750
|4199 |12169 |n/a |16,368
|10876 |31865 |n/a |42,741
Year 1993-94
Compulsory |None |None |None |-
Flexible |8685 |23422 |n/a |32,107
|4418 |13178 |n/a |17,596
|n/a |n/a |3033 |3,033
|4950 |12987 |n/a |17,937
Ministerial Visits Overseas
Mr. Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the visits he has made abroad in the last 12 months; how long he spent in each location; and what was the purpose of each visit. [21422]
Dr. Mawhinney: In addition to those listed in the answer that I gave to the hon. Member for Wallsend (Mr. Byers) on 20 February, Official Report , column 4 , I have also undertaken the following visits:
Country |Duration |Purpose
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Switzerland |24 hours |Visit to the Swiss Transport Minister
Brussels |2 days |European Transport Council
Japan |4 days |Visits to the Japanese Transport
|Minister, various railway companies in
|Tokyo and Nagoya and to banks and
|leasing companies interested in the
|sale of British Rail ROSCOs.
Korea |4 days |Wreath laying ceremony Gloster Valley.
|Visits to the Korean Minister of
|Transport and Construction, the
|mayor of Seoul and various Korean
|companies with potential investments
|in the UK. Addressed regional British
|chambers of commerce; Korean Institute
|of Transport joint UK/Korean seminar;
|and Korean Ministry of Political Affairs
|seminar on local government.
AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD
Veterinary Medicines Report
Mr. McLoughlin: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether the 1993 report from the appraisal panel for human suspected adverse reactions to veterinary medicines has now been published. [22403]
Mrs. Browning: The report is being published this week and is available free of charge from the Veterinary Medicines Directorate. Copies have been placed in the Library of the House.
EDUCATION
Civil Servants
Mr. Milburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if she will list the individual value of each (a) compulsory early retirement and (b) flexible early retirement package received by civil servants leaving her Department on grounds of limited efficiency in each of the last five years. [22089]
Mr. Boswell: There have been no instances of compulsory early retirement on grounds of limited efficiency in the Department.
Column 154
There has been one instance of flexible early retirement on limited efficiency grounds during the last five financial years, as follows:
|Annual compensation
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1994-95 |£4996.67 |£14,255.07
Local Education Authorities
Mr. Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what were the numbers of staff and the administrative costs incurred by each education authority in England for the year ended 31 March; and what are the projected costs for 1995 96. [21791]
Mr. Robin Squire: The table shows, for each LEA in England, staffing expenditure and total expenditure on service strategy and regulation, management and administration and the inspection and advisory service in 1993 94, the latest year for which outturn figures are available. Figures for 25 LEAs are not included as they have yet to be finalised. These figures have not been adjusted for any changes of function. Statistics on LEA administrative staff numbers, broken down by individual authorities, are not available centrally. Cost projections for 1995 96 are unavailable in these areas.
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